


Steer me to shore

by crayyyonn



Category: GOT7
Genre: Angst, Crack, Fluff, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, crungst?, i just really needed merjackson okay, in which jackson is the mermaid, mermaid au, tho he'll take offense if you call him that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6109063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crayyyonn/pseuds/crayyyonn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No Faustian bargains, no evil sea witches. Just the age-old story of a mer who falls in love with a human, and what happens after.</p><p>(aka the mermaid!jackson au you never asked for but are getting anyway)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> chapter titles are lines from the little mermaid broadway soundtrack.

It takes a while for Jackson to realize that Jaebum is drowning. 

His body sinks like a stone, weighed down by his heavy, soaked clothing. His eyes, dark and piercing when last Jackson remembers, are shut tight. Bubbles slip from his lips, making for the surface above. They part a little as Jackson watches. 

All around them the sea rages and Jaebum continues to fall. 


	2. Look out, lad, a mermaid be waiting for you

Jackson remembers the first time he met Jaebum. 

He was just skimming the waves, minding his own business, when he spied the boat rocking precariously out in the distance. It’s too tiny to be this far out in the ocean, so Jackson dives under the surface, gliding as fast as he can toward it. 

“Hey,” he yells over the dull roar of the wind. “Need some help?” 

He watches the way the man’s eyes grow round as he takes in Jackson’s bobbing form and his gleaming tail, the way he blinks slowly as he surveys the open sea around them, as if looking for an answer that doesn't readily come.

“You—wait, Aquaman’s real?” 

Confused, Jackson asks, “What’s an Aquaman? But hey, you’re about to flip over. Do you want me to help you or not?”

The man doesn’t answer, but the sea’s rough in these parts and his sorry excuse for water transportation isn’t going to hold out against the waves any longer, so Jackson takes matters into his own hands. Swimming around to the other end of the boat, he starts pushing it toward the shore. He rolls his eyes when he sees that the man is still staring. 

“Dude, I know I’m good looking, but could you maybe do the creepy staring thing later and give me a hand here? Your boat’s not exactly made of seaweed you know.” 

That seems to do the trick, for the man visibly comes back to himself. “The engine’s dead. I ran out of fuel.” 

Put out, Jackson sighs, just managing to refrain from rolling his eyes. Legs, seriously. They’d fare better with another set of brains. 

“You’ve got oars, haven’t you? Paddle,” he commands, just a touch imperiously. 

He's relieved when the man obeys without question. It takes a while, but they finally get to the tiny cove where the man says he lives. With one last heave, Jackson lets go of the boat just before his tail touches sand. The man jumps off agilely and moors it to the tiny jetty while Jackson looks around him with interest. He never been this far out from home before. 

Greenery lines the horizon, beyond the structure just a ways up from the end of the jetty. It’s the only building Jackson sees; the man must be the only human living in the area. Reaching out, he grabs a fistful of sand, letting it trickle through his fingers. It’s whiter and coarser than the silt he’s used to. The very air smells different.

“So… I guess I owe you thanks. I’m Jaebum, by the way.”

“Jackson,” he replies distractedly as he squints for a clearer view. “What _is_ that thing?”

Turning, Jaebum grins. “Oh that. That’s my cat, Nora. You’ve never seen one before, huh? Wait here.” 

“Cat?” Jackson rolls the foreign word around his mouth, testing the way it rolls off his tongue as Jaebum makes his way across the sand. It’s a strange sound that rings a little like a bad taste, but he finds he likes it. 

He pushes himself closer as Jaebum wades into the shallow water, Nora in his arms. 

“Go on, you can pet her. She won’t bite, I promise.” 

Holding out the cat to Jackson, he smiles encouragingly as Jackson leans in to give her a tentative sniff. He must have done something wrong though, because his approach makes her struggle and screech, claws extended, and he lets out a tiny shriek before diving back into the water, tail hitting the surface hard in his rush to get away. When he looks back, Jaebum is drenched from head to toe but he's laughing, and Nora is leaping back up the beach. 

“Sorry,” Jaebum calls. “She doesn’t really like water. Most cats don’t.” 

Jackson sniffs. “Well, I don’t think I like cats.” 

Laughing, Jaebum settles down in the sand, letting the waves lap at his feet. Jackson takes that as his cue to come closer, keeping a wary eye on the four-legged animal. She's far away so Jackson can’t be sure, but he thinks she’s watching him. He shakes it off, focusing on Jaebum instead. Jaebum is definitely looking, and Jackson twists so the scales on his tail shimmer in the sunlight. He’s not posturing, not the way he would for a maid, but it’s close. 

“I’ve never seen a mermaid before,” Jaebum says wonderingly. “Can I?” he asks, hand hovering over his tail. 

“Mer _man_ ,” Jackson corrects. “But sure, go ahead.” 

Jaebum’s touch is hesitant but careful, lightly skimming over the subtle edges of his scales. “It’s like… Well, it’s rather like touching a large fish, but it’s beautiful.” 

At his words, Jackson tries not to preen. His tail is his pride and joy, with iridescent scales that reflect greens and blues and purples, depending on how the light hits. His mother always said he’s got the best tail among his brothers and sisters. 

He swishes it little to see the way Jaebum’s eyes grow round again, kicking up sand and water in its wake. 

“So hey, you never answered me. What’s an Aquaman?”

 

When Jackson pops up alongside Jaebum's boat the next day, arms wrapped up tight in layers of seaweed and his dad's magic staff in hand, the man doubles up with laughter and nearly pitches himself over the side of his boat. 

“Oh my god. Oh my _god_.” Fumbling a little, he pulls a rectangle out of his pocket as he snorts. “Please oh _please_ let me take a picture. I have to show this to Jinyoung.” 

There’s a soft clicking sound, and then Jaebum is grinning at him. When he turns it around, Jackson starts and grins. 

“That’s me!” 

“Yeah, I just took a picture of you with my phone. Have you seen one of these before?” 

Jackson shakes his head. He knows what a phone is, but the ones he knows are huge and round, a far cry from the tiny device that fits in Jaebum’s palm. 

“Here.” Tucking the staff under an arm, he takes the phone Jaebum holds out. “Just don’t drop it.” 

Nodding earnestly, he examines it, turning the phone this way and that, liking the way it reflects the sun. It’s shiny and heavy and hey, having Jackson’s face on it sure doesn’t hurt. Even though he could have looked less caught unawares, sexier. He hands it back quickly, not wanting to risk losing it in the water. 

“I have a phone too,” he tells Jaebum. “But it’s bigger.” 

He mimes picking up the receiver and turning the dial, feeling strangely proud when Jaebum nods, excited. Sitting through Bambam’s rambling tangents on humans hadn’t been a waste of time after all. Not that he’s ever telling the selkie that; he feels self-important enough as it is.

The sun is almost at its highest point now. Leaning his chin on the trident, Jackson looks around and cautions, “The water is calmer today, but you still shouldn’t be this far out.” 

Jaebum shrugs. “The catch hasn’t been as good these few days, so I thought I’d go farther. Don’t worry, I triple checked my gauge before I came out.” 

He winks before getting up from his perch to check the net. He doesn't look pleased though, and Jackson frowns as he sighs. “That bad?” 

“Not as good as I expected. I might have to stay out here longer.” 

Jackson hums, considering, then dives into the water. The net hanging from the side of the boat is depressingly empty, save for a couple of fishes so tiny they’re guaranteed safety from any mer’s dinner. 

“It’s absolutely pathetic,” he informs Jaebum when he breaks the surface, shaking droplets out of his hair. The way Jaebum's face falls makes Jackson's chest tug. “But since I’m nice, I’ll help you. Follow me.” 

He makes his way toward a spot where he knows a school of tuna likes to frolic, the drone of the motor low in his ears as Jaebum follows. Once they’re there, he raises a hand so Jaebum kills the engine, then does a little somersault so he’s facing the back of the boat. He grins, satisfied, when he sees the fish swimming directly into the net. 

“Sorry guys, but I can’t let my friend starve,” he tells them. 

The tuna stares between him and the staff he’s holding, resigned. He’s going to get an earful from the king if he ever hears about it (and he will, the way news travels with the currents) but for now, he just soaks in the happy surprise lighting up Jaebum’s eyes. 

 

That same evening, he watches as Jaebum brings out something he tells Jackson is a portable fire pit, piling dried sticks and paper in it. 

“For a barbecue,” he says. 

Jackson frowns. “Barbecue?” 

“Yeah, you’ve never—of course you’ve never, what am I saying.” Huffing out a laugh, he tells Jackson, “Watch.” 

The stick he slides against a box spits orange. He lowers it onto the pile and Jackson watches, fascinated when the orange grows, licking at the kindling and turning them black. Mesmerized, he reaches out, eager to touch the dancing color, but before he manages to get close, Jaebum is grabbing onto his hand and yanking it away. 

“Don’t do that,” he says.

“What?” Jackson blinks. “But it’s so pretty.” 

“Yeah, but fire could hurt you if you’re not careful.” Lifting Jackson’s hand, he brings it closer to the crackling fire. “Feel that? That’s heat. Any closer than this and you’ll get burned.” 

“Oh.” So this is fire. Yugyeom’s mentioned it before back when they were still fledglings, but no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t get him to burst into flames like his cousins did. Jackson can't wait to tell him about it.

He flexes his fingers, cataloging the new sensation the fire creates, and Jaebum lets go. The patch of skin where Jaebum’s fingers circled tingles. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s unsettling enough for Jackson to bury it in cool wet sand, wiling the feeling away. 

To distract himself, he watches Jaebum instead as he pokes at the fire with a stick. The flickering light makes the bits of stones in his ears glitter prettily, entrancing Jackson. When Jaebum says his name, it takes more than a bit of effort for him to tear his gaze away and focus on the spread Jaebum has set out on the grill. There’s some fish and some shrimp, but the rest looks and smells completely foreign. Curiously, he pokes at the thing shaped like a tiny sea cucumber, making a face when his fingers come away slick. 

“So what do mer—“ At Jackson’s warning glare, Jaebum grins. “ _People_ eat?” 

“Fish, seaweed, shrimp, kelp, sea berries,” Jackson lists, ticking them off finger by finger. “There’s a lot of food to be found down there.” 

“Wait, you eat fish?” 

“Yeah, why?” 

“But aren’t you,” Jaebum gestures at Jackson’s tail. “Aren’t you related?” 

Affronted, Jackson draws himself up to his full height, or as fully as he manages to while sitting half in the water. 

“Merpeople are an evolved species of marine mammal, not _fish_ ,” he sniffs disdainfully, and Jaebum raises pacifying hands. 

“Okay, okay. I gotcha. Not fish.” Smiling winningly, he says, “In that case, wanna try some sausage?” 

 

Mark doesn’t believe him when Jackson tells him he’s met a new friend, a _human_ _friend with legs, Mark, I swear_ , so Jackson brings him along the next time he goes to meet Jaebum. 

He regrets it instantly once he sees the way Jaebum’s jaw goes slack with awe when he lays eyes on Mark. His cousin is beautiful, sure, even without the siren blood, but so is Jackson and Jaebum’s never looked at him like that before. 

It must be the red hair. 

“You’re going to burn a hole through him if you stare any longer, Jaebum,” he says, not at all petulantly as he nonchalantly winds a piece of seaweed around his fingers. Mark’s amused snort quickly turns into a cough when Jackson twists and narrows his eyes at him. 

“Jealous, Jackson?” he asks sweetly, angelic smile never slipping even when he has to duck to avoid the tail Jackson swings in his direction. 

“I’m not jealous, you’re jealous,” he retorts automatically. On the boat, Jaebum is laughing, and Jackson dives under the water, resurfacing on the other side only when he hears Jaebum call out his name. 

“Hey Jackson, I’ve got something for you.” 

He tosses something tiny in his direction, making Jackson scramble to snatch it out of the air before it falls into the water. When he unclenches his fingers, he sees a tiny black and white cat affixed on a silver circle. Nora. 

“What’s this?” 

“You seemed to like my piercings the other night. I can’t give you those since you don’t have your ears pierced, but you can wear rings.” 

So that’s what it is, a ring. Jackson stares at it, turning it over and over in his fingers. He’s never gotten a gift before, at least, not one that's so pretty and shiny. It sparks a tingle of happiness in his belly. With barely a splash, Mark surfaces next to him to crowd in for a look, and Jackson closes possessive fingers over his gift. 

“Here.” Reaching over the side of the boat, Jaebum grasps onto Jackson’s hands and slips the ring onto his index finger. It’s a snug fit. “Don’t lose it.” 

“I won’t.” Cradling his adorned hand with the other, he beams up at Jaebum, ignoring the way Mark is snickering softly. “I’ll take good care of it.” 

“See that you do,” says Jaebum, lips curved in amusement. “A good friend made that for me. Actually, you two should meet; he’d love you. He’s always been fascinated by mythical creatures.” 

The last is said with an admiring glance at Mark, who has swum away and is porpoising out in the open water. The wind carries his gleeful whoops over to the boat and Jackson pouts. Show off. He can too jump in and out of the water. Hell, he can do somersaults in the air.

He proceeds to demonstrate, diving under and propelling himself straight up, tucking his tail in when he’s in the air. He flips twice, knifing into the waves with a resounding splash. Grinning, he turns to Jaebum, but he’s chatting with Mark on the other side of the boat as he checks his net. Eyes narrowing at the way Mark is glowing up at Jaebum, Jackson lifts his tail to splash the half-siren with seawater. Of course, he misses completely.

Mark is still laughing at him later when they’re swimming back home. 


	3. Interlude I

“Hey Bambam,” Jackson says the instant he’s within shouting distance of the selkie’s cave. “How can I get legs?” 

The selkie, in the middle of hanging up his dripping pelt, doesn’t even pause. “Why would you want legs? You want to be human?” 

With a snort, Jackson says, “Not permanently, no. But is there some way I can temporarily turn into one? For like a day or so?” 

“There is a way… but your mother will skin us alive. Now I won’t die, but you? You definitely will. And then she’ll just bring you back to life and kill you again.” 

Shaking his head, he moves further into the cave to grab his robe, the one Yugyeom nicked for him. The garuda denies it to this day, but Jackson knows better—he saw him swooping down on that sinking ship with his own eyes. He watches as Bambam belts it up. 

“What she doesn’t find out won’t hurt. Come on, Bam, please? Just for one day?” 

He injects as much whine as is possible into his voice, pairing it with the puppy dog eyes he knows for a fact Bambam is weak against. He’s not exactly sure what the selkie means by puppy dog, but whatever it is, he’s been brought up to get his way with whatever means necessary. It works too, because Bambam takes one look at him and sighs, defeated. 

“Fine, I'll help you. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”


	4. There's so much light here, light and space

Turns out, the magic Bambam works will take more than one day to run its course. It’s slightly off-putting to Jackson to be out of the water for a protracted length of time, but he’s smart enough to recognize a good deal when he gets one so he doesn’t complain. One thing he will say though, is that being on land is fucking cold.

That’s the first thing he realizes when he steps shakily out of the water, shivering violently from head to toe.

It’s just before dawn but it’s dark and gloomy still, the sky a mass of grey clouds. The winds whip fiercely around him, making waves crash angrily at his feet. Jackson knows the ocean isn’t happy about one of theirs leaving for land, but what’s done is done. Besides, he’ll be back soon, he tells her. 

The waters seem to calm at his reassurance, but only a little.

Turning, Jackson waves to Mark and Yugyeom a ways out from the shore, the young garuda perched almost delicately on his cousin’s shoulder, belying the way his talons must be digging into flesh, as Jackson knows from experience. He’s the only one who waves back. Mark’s still mad, Jackson knows. He can’t help it when the waters are feeding him with feeling, after all. Still, Jackson is certain he’ll get over it. Most likely. Maybe.

Jaebum’s house is about twenty yards out. Taking a deep breath, Jackson wraps Bambam’s robe around himself and makes his way toward it, new legs getting steadier the more he uses them. Even though he's practiced with Bambam, it feels funny, walking. It's like he’s going to fall over in either direction, at any time. He picks up his feet and sets them down carefully at every step.

Just a few paces away from the deck, Jackson does stumble, completely missing the single stair leading up to it. It makes a racket, flesh against wood. Jackson curses, feeling something pierce his palm and flood his senses with pain. He’s just trying to get back up when the door swings open.

Damn. There goes his grand entrance all ruined. He’d wanted to knock, too.

“Who’s there?”

It’s Jaebum, in a baggy shirt and loose pants, head devoid of his usual wide-brimmed hat. It’s very different from the Jaebum Jackson is used to seeing out at sea. This Jaebum frowns intimidatingly.

“Hi,” he says meekly, waving his fingers a little. Rearranging his legs under him, he tries to push himself up, but it doesn't work. “A little help?”

“Jackson?” Jaebum sounds incredulous. Jackson doesn’t blame him. “What are you—are those _legs_?”

Reaching out, Jaebum pulls him upright. Jackson leans into the solid body gratefully, relishing the warmth radiating off it, even though it makes him shiver more violently.

“You’re freezing. And wet.”

“No shit.”

He goes for sarcastic, but the effect is ruined slightly by the loud chattering of his teeth. Jaebum laughs though, the rumbling of his chest making Jackson’s side tingle through the thin material of the robe as he half-carries, half-drags him into the house. Jackson’s grateful when the door finally shuts behind them, blocking out the wind.

“Sit,” Jaebum tells Jackson, pointing to a wooden chair much like the ones Bambam has in the back of his cave, far away from the waterlogged entrance. “I’ll be right back.”

The chair is less opulent than what Jackson’s used to in the palace but it’s surprisingly comfortable. Once he’s seated, he takes the opportunity to look around. Jaebum’s home is small and sparsely decorated, a far cry from Jackson’s own messy grotto. It’s cozy nonetheless.

A rustle makes him jump before he sees the pair of black ears peeking out from the couch.

“Hey Nora.” He’s still a little apprehensive about the animal, but Bambam's reassured him that cats are harmless. Mostly. She mews at him and he holds out a hand. “Here girl.”

Nora sniffs, ears twitching, and then she’s startling Jackson with how quickly she gets from the couch to cross the room. That’s how Jaebum finds him, still dripping onto the floor but with a lapful of cat.

Smiling fondly, he says, “I see you’ve become friends. Come on.” He gestures for Jackson to stand, then wraps him up in a large warm cloth when he does. “Get yourself dry, I’ll get a fire going.”

‘Dry?’ Jackson mouths. The room begins to fill with warmth.

“Do you need help with the towel?” Jaebum asks.

Before Jackson can reply, Jaebum is already leaning forward. He’s standing way too close as he rubs the towel over Jackson’s hair and skin, making him suck in a breath, holding it in as the hair on his arms stand on end. Nora seems to think Jaebum's too close for comfort too, the way she leaps off Jackson to land lightly on the floor next to the chair. She rubs up against his leg. It feels nice.

“You need to warm up. You still feel like ice.”

“I’m okay,” Jackson says, teeth chattering. “It’s way colder in the ocean, to be honest. I think it’s just a side effect of the transformation.”

“Right. That.” Discarding the towel, Jaebum starts piling more cloth on Jackson, dressing him in what he recognizes as human clothing. “What the hell, Jackson? Why do you have legs? What did you do to your tail? How are you still talking if you traded your voice for legs?”

“Seriously, someone needs to put a stop to the misinformation about merpeople. If it’s left to you land dwellers we’d all be singing lobsters and dinglehopper collectors to you,” Jackson grumbles.

It takes much more effort than he expects to not roll his eyes when Jaebum just says, “Lobsters and what now?”

 

Regardless of Jaebum's clearly inadequate knowledge of mer, Jackson cannot deny that he is the most good looking human he has ever seen.

Not that it means much since Jaebum is the first human he has seen up close, but he’s certain of his judgement. In fact, he’d even bet his tail on it. He kinda has.

Fortunately, the confused, bordering on peevish frown he’s currently wearing doesn’t do much to detract from his looks in the least.

“So let me get this straight. What you’re telling me is that you’re Cinderella, not Ariel? Nevermind,” Jaebum quickly says when Jackson sucks in a breath to protest yet again that he’s a _male mer_ , thank you very much. “When the sun rises, you say?”

“Yeah,” Jackson replies, and dutifully recites from memory, “ _Return to where you belong and what's yours will be returned to you._ ”

Jaebum still looks doubtful. “And this Bambam, he can be trusted?”

“He’s my friend. Besides, he’s lived for close to two hundred years. If there’s anyone who knows anything about sea magic, it would be him.”

“Okay. So what happens if you don’t go back?”

“Well,” Jackson trails off, chewing on his bottom lip as he considers. “I’d be banished by the king. Who is my dad, by the way,” he boasts, smug. “But aside from that, nothing serious, I think.”

“Wait, you're a prince? Huh. So no finding Princess Charming or anything like that?”

“What? No, don’t be silly. That only happens in children’s stories, come on.”

Jackson shoots him a cheeky grin, which Jaebum answers with a reluctant smile. They fall into silence that's broken only by Nora’s purring. Wordlessly, Jaebum picks her up and settles her onto his lap, petting her in long, steady strokes.

“Okay, so. Seven days. I’ll call Jinyoung.”

 

Jinyoung is young, handsome, with wit as cutting as conch and humor darker than the deepest seas. Jackson likes him immediately.

Jaebum seems to like him immensely too. Jackson’s not blind; he sees the framed pictures around the house and their familiarity around each other. The most telling though, is the way his eyes lit up when Jinyoung pushed through the door.

“So you’re telling me that Aquaman here is an actual merman.” Jinyoung returns the wave, eyes crinkling. 

“Thank you,” Jackson says, with feeling.

“Yes.”

“That you met in the middle of the ocean.”

“Uh huh.”

“With a tail and everything.”

“Yes..?”

Jaebum squints in confusion and Jinyoung narrows his eyes.

“Okay, Im Jaebum, jig’s up, har har. Who’s he really?”

“Park Jinyoung, for the last time, it's not a prank.” Jaebum’s explosive sigh makes Jackson jump.

“Of course it’s not. Besides the fact that _they don’t exist_ ,” he sends a glare Jackson’s way when he cuts in with an offended _hey_. “You’re asking me to believe that this dude here used to have a tail where his perfectly functional legs are right now. While we’re at it, are you saying he also grew a d—”

Undeterred by the pointed cough that stoppers his rant, Jinyoung raises a challenging eyebrow, and Jaebum sighs. 

“Look, Jinyoung, I wish I could give you proof,” Jaebum says.“Aren't you the one who studies mythical creatures anyway? You should be overjoyed they're real. At least, one of them.”

“They're called mythical creatures for a reason, hyung. They. Don't. Exist.”

They bicker back and forth for a while, and although Jackson is quite enjoying seeing Jaebum being put on the spot, he thinks he should help him out. If only because he is Jackson's only anchor here on land. 

Closing his eyes, he wills his mind to clear and turns his senses inward. It takes a bit of prodding but then he finds it, the glowing mass deep in his core. He latches on, concentrates and pulls it all the way up until he feels it lodge in his trachea. He chokes a little as he forces it out, gags when it gets stuck just before it reaches his larynx. He feels hands on his arms, hears Jaebum’s worried questions but shakes everything off, focusing on the task at hand.

Finally, it flies out with a soft pop and he blinks, shaking his head to clear the sudden dizziness. A tiny pearl, just a half a centimeter in diameter sits in the center of his palm.

“Look!” He holds it out to Jaebum, who takes it hesitantly. He turns it around in his fingers, then looks at Jackson. 

“Is this your way of telling me you’re related to oysters?”

Jinyoung bursts out laughing, covering his mouth with a delicate, slender-fingered hand. Jackson, on the other hand, eschews subtlety in the look of absolute scorn he shoots the laughing man, before turning to beam at Jaebum.

“It's a gift, Jaebum. For you.”

Leaning over to inspect the pearl before Jaebum closes a careful fist over it, Jinyoung says, “Huh. Well hyung, at least Jackson can definitely earn his keep around here, if there are more where these came from.”

Grinning, he smacks Jackson on the back, making him lurch forward a step. At Jackson’s feet, Nora mews in protest.

  

“I’ve read the lore,” Jinyoung says later, dropping onto the couch next to where Jackson is playing with Nora while Jaebum prepares dinner.

“What?” Jackson asks distractedly as he teases the cat with his fingers. She’s a biter, that one.

“A mer’s gift.”

Snapping his head up, Jackson eyes him warily.

“What about it?”

“Used in courting rituals, exchanged during wedding ceremonies, lures for stranded sailors, all that multipurpose deep sea jazz.” 

Jinyoung’s tone is friendly and the hand he gestures with is careless, but he doesn’t look the least amused. Jackson swallows.

“But Jaebum hyung is human and you’re both on land so unless you’re thinking of turning him, which is impossible as far as I know…” 

“It’s not—it’s not like that. I just—” Jackson sighs, ducks his chin. “Don’t tell Jaebum.”

“Don’t tell Jaebum what?”

Startled, they turn to see the very person they're discussing looking down at them with eyes narrowed in suspicion. That’s also the precise moment Jackson realizes exactly how close he and Jinyoung were sitting, nearly pressed up against each other on the couch. He leans away surreptitiously, looking as innocent as he can.

“Don’t tell me what?” Jaebum repeats, sounding slightly impatient now.

Jackson holds his breath when the other man breaks into a slow smile, only to let it out in a relieved gust when he hears him say, “Nora keeps nibbling on Jackson’s fingers. I was telling him it’s because he smells like fish.”

Jackson still likes him, but Jinyoung is a dangerous man. He’s glad when he leaves not long after dinner.

He hovers next to Jaebum at the kitchen sink, watching the suds swirl around the bottom of the basin and disappear. They remind him of sea foam, and all of a sudden, Jackson finds himself thinking about Mark and Yugyeom and Bambam, and what they’re doing right now.

He knows, though; Mark’s probably spending quality time with himself as usual, while Yugyeom hunts in the mountains nearby. As for Bambam, well, the selkie’s comings and goings have always been mysterious, though Jackson always knows when he’s home. The ocean always knows.

He’s so lost in thought, Jackson doesn’t realize that the tap has been shut off until Jaebum snaps his fingers in his face. He jumps, palm flying to his chest in an attempt to calm his thudding heart.

“You were spacing out a bit there, you all right?” Jaebum asks, a smile in his voice. “Anyway, it’s getting pretty late, so let’s get you sorted out for bed.”

Jaebum leads him to a separate room at a corner of the house, where it opens up to a bed piled high with cushions and throws, a stark difference from the neatness everywhere else. It looks cozy, much more so than the seaweed-stuffed shell Jackson sleeps in at night. Humans seem to know their comforts well.

He gives Jackson a perfunctory tour around the room and the attached bathroom, telling him, “You can have the bed since you’re a guest. I’ll sleep on the couch outside. Just holler if you need anything.”

The door shuts with a click. Gingerly, Jackson lifts a leg and climbs onto the bed, carefully settling himself on the edge after lying down. It’s so soft, he feels like he’s floating and drowning at the same time. It’s an odd feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, the lore bit gets pretty hand wave-y in the later chapters. 
> 
> Up next: Hello, my name is Youngjae!


	5. The sun's so bright here upon my face

Jackson wakes up to sunshine on his face. 

He’s disoriented for a few moments, wondering why he’s sleeping on the surface instead of tucked snugly in his shell. It’s the involuntary twitching of a toe that jolts his memory. Right. He’s got legs now. 

He’s still blinking sleepily when the door creaks. A fresh-faced Jaebum grins brightly as Jackson hurriedly scrambles up into a kneeling position on the bed. 

“Sleep well?” he asks. Striding into the room, he pulls the curtains closed. “Sorry, these completely slipped my mind. I usually keep them open because I’d never get up otherwise.” 

He putters around the room, sliding drawers open and shut as he collects items of clothing from them. Then he puts the whole pile on the bed in front of Jackson. 

“Here. Go wash up, and put these on.” Jackson watches attentively as Jaebum demonstrates in sequence, even though he already knows the basics. “Just yell if you need any help.” 

With a quick grin, he leaves, shutting the door behind him. The room feels instantly dimmer, and Jackson wonders if he should draw the curtains, let a little bit of light in. 

Climbing off the bed, he makes his way to the bathroom to find that the tub is filled. Jaebum must have run it before coming in to wake him. The temperature of the water is higher than Jackson is used to, but his dry, tight skin feels much better after a soak. He’s also finding that he vastly prefers the warmth. 

Once he’s toweled dry and clothed, he reaches for the toothbrush and toothpaste Jaebum set out for him the night before. Holding each in one hand, he stares at them warily. Then with a shrug, he squeezes some toothpaste onto the brush before rubbing it haphazardly over his teeth. He still hates the taste, but Bambam did say that personal hygiene is important to humans. Plus he’s seen first-hand Jaebum’s penchant for cleaning and for the orderly, so Jackson shall endure. 

Still, it doesn’t stop him from making a face at his reflection after rinsing out his mouth. Whoever invented toothpaste ought to be left on a rock with just the gulls for company. 

 

Jaebum is busying himself in the kitchen when Jackson steps out, sniffing curiously. Something smells good. Really good. His stomach rumbles in agreement. 

“What’s that?” he asks, grinning when Jaebum jumps a little. It widens when Jaebum turns to shoot him a dirty look. 

“For a fish, you’re as silent as a cat, you know?”

Narrowing his eyes, he says, “Not fish,” wrinkling his nose when Jaebum just smirks. He smacks the hand Jackson is reaching out. 

“No touching food before it’s on the table.” 

“We don’t have tables in the ocean.” 

Jaebum snorts. “I know.” 

The night before, when Jaebum had been busy with the final touches for dinner, Jinyoung had schooled him on the importance of tables for humans. 

“What I’m doing now, for instance,” he said, indicating the stack of plates and cutlery in his hands. “Setting the table is an important ritual for every meal. Everything has to be placed in its exact position, or it’s a sign of disrespect to the one who provides the meal. It will ruin the natural balance, the _qi_ of the dinner table.” 

Despite not knowing that Jinyoung meant by _qi_ , Jackson had nodded at his solemn tone. It makes sense; mer have many ceremonies before important feasts too. He was reaching out eager hands for the cutlery when Jaebum had come up from behind and smacked them aside. His exasperated _Jinyoung, please_ , only makes the younger man chuckle as he dumped the spoons and chopsticks in a noisy pile on the table. 

Hours later, Jackson still felt embarrassed to have fallen for Jinyoung's tricks so easily, but recalling the soft, fond smile Jaebum directed at him after soothes the sting a little. 

“So what are we doing today?” Jackson asks between mouthfuls of stew. It’s a little spicy and a little salty, but deliciously flavorful thanks to the tuna. It’s Jackson’s favorite human dish yet. 

“Well, I was thinking we should visit Youngjae since I’m way overdue for one. He’s a friend of mine from university. School,” he explains when Jackson looks at him quizzically. “You’ll get to see a bit of the world beyond the beach that way too.”

“Sounds great,” Jackson says happily. It does. He can’t wait. 

 

Jaebum’s university is huge. Jackson spends most of the trip peering through windows, pressing elevator buttons, and standing in front of doors. He can’t get enough of the way they open automatically once they sense that he’s there. It’s almost like magic. 

But what he enjoys the most, though, is sitting in the middle of what Jaebum calls the Quad, feeling the light breeze sifting through his hair as he digs his toes into the ground. Dirt is cool, he learns, not unlike the sand on the shore. And grass smells wonderful. 

Jaebum and Youngjae are sitting just a few feet away, talking quietly. On the way over, Jaebum explained to Jackson that Youngjae had been his underclassman back in high school, and that he’s helping the younger in his study of seawater pollution by collecting samples from the ocean. Youngjae is brilliant, he told Jackson, and his research has been making a lot of progress that will one day change the world. The quiet pride in his voice made Jackson curious. Whoever this Youngjae is, he’s clearly very dear to Jaebum, and once he’s met him, Jackson could see why. Dressed simply, he radiates cheer and positivity, taking Jaebum’s introduction of Jackson in stride. 

Their hushed conversation is broken suddenly by Youngjae’s loud laughter, and Jackson can’t help but grin as he watches the younger man throw his head back, mouth open so wide a family of seahorses could fit inside. He’s only known Youngjae for a while, but Jackson already likes him. 

He lies back, closing his eyes to shut out the sun. Murmurs of conversation come from every direction. While Jackson can’t quite decipher any of it, they seem to be bubbling with optimism. He lets them wash over him, filling him with life and energy. They remind him of the ocean waves, make him feel like he’s part of something big. Maybe even bigger than the sea. 

Something lands on his face and he starts, relaxing only when he realizes it’s Jaebum’s cap. The thick black material blocks out the glare of the sun and he smiles, drifting off again. The next time he wakes, it’s to Jaebum’s warm hand on his shoulder, shaking it a little as he leans over him. 

“Come on, sleepyhead, it’s time for lunch.” 

They make their way to a little shack in the corner of the university where Jackson tastes fish cakes for the first time. Making a face, he pushes the skewer away, glaring when Jaebum laughs. 

“That tastes nothing like fish,” he says disgustedly, reaching out to spear one of Jaebum’s rice cakes with a fork. He's reaching out for another one when Jaebum gives him a disgruntled look, even though he pushes his plate closer. At least rice cakes, while spicy, tastes like nothing he’s ever tried before. He doesn’t get why anyone would put these two in the same dish when one is clearly inferior to the other.

He says as much, which makes Youngjae burst out in laughter, before offering him a bite of his noodles. It’s cold and vinegary and even more delicious than the rice cakes, Jackson finds, and he nods enthusiastically when Youngjae says they can share. Moving so he’s sitting closer to the younger man, he slurps some up, then eagerly reaches out his fork for some more of Jaebum's rice cakes, only for the man to move his bowl away and ignore him completely even when Jackson prods him, never taking his attention from his food. 

“Rude,” Jackson says with a frown. 

Youngjae’s chuckle jostles him and he scoots away, leaving a bit of space on the bench between them. 

“It’s okay, Jackson, Jaebum hyung just… doesn’t really like to share. Especially when it comes to the important things, the things he likes. Don’t mind him.” 

“Rice cakes are important?” Jackson doesn't understand why they would be special, but humans have strange customs.

“Eat your food, Youngjae,” Jaebum says. 

Something seems to pass between them when their eyes meet, making the younger man smile fondly. 

“Yeah,” Youngjae says. “Rice cakes are very important. To Jaebum hyung at least, they are. Because they’re his favorite.” He winks at Jackson, who nods as he files that piece of information away. 

He wonders if Bambam knows how to make rice cakes. 


	6. Interlude II

“Mark!” 

Jackson waves excitedly as his cousin swims up to their idling boat. It’s early enough in the morning that it’s still pretty dark, even though the sun is slowly climbing up across the horizon. Jackson picks him out easily anyway. It's the part-siren’s otherworldly glow.

“Where’s Yugyeom?” he asks and Mark grins, pointing upward. 

“Think fast.” 

Instinctively, Jackson ducks, although he's not quick enough to avoid the talons that catch in his borrowed cap, flicking it off and ruffling through his hair, just barely missing the skin of his scalp. Next to him, Jaebum throws himself flat with a grunt, making the boat rock violently in the water. Yugyeom is still cackling when he shifts into his human form, rolling around on the deck in helpless laughter. 

“You should have seen your face!” he gasps, reaching over the side of the boat to give Mark a high five. “God, that never gets old.” 

“Scare the mer, hilarious.” Grumbling, he makes his way to Jaebum, who’s still staring wide eyed at the new occupant of the boat, an oar thrust defensively in front of him. “It’s okay Jaebum, Yugyeom’s harmless. Mostly.” 

Jaebum shakes his head. “He was a bird earlier. With wings.” 

Bristling, Yugyeom sits up and retorts, “Excuse you, I’m a garuda, not a bird. I’m practically a god.” 

“A baby god, sure.” 

At Jackson's reply, Yugyeom's eyes turn amber and his nose lengthens, becoming distinctly beak-like. The performance makes Jackson sigh mentally. Not this again. The way he’s stretching himself to his full height would have been impressive, if not for the fact that Jackson has known the sunbird before he could even fly. Seeing him fall flat on his face as many times as Jackson has really only serves to make any potential intimidation tactics Yugyeom tries to pull just come across as vaguely cute. 

He waves a dismissive hand. “Would you stop that please, you’re freaking Jaebum out.” 

Not quite the truth, if the soft sound of distaste, rather than fear, the man makes is anything to go by. But despite Yugyeom’s penchant for bluster, the fledgling has a heart of gold. Jackson’s not above guilt-tripping him, not after the trick he pulled. 

The garuda is all human again when he winces. “Right, sorry.” He rubs at the back of his head sheepishly. “So, how’s it been living on land?” 

“It’s amazing. Different, but in an interesting way, you know? There’s so much to see and learn, a lifetime is too little time, much less a week. I think that’s why Bambam has never gotten bored of the surface all these years.” Picking up the cap, he crams it back on, ignoring the glance Mark trades with Yugyeom. “How’s the palace holding up?” 

“Everyone’s busy with the preparations for the king’s birthday, you know that, so the answer to the question you’re not asking is no, no one’s noticed you’ve gone missing yet.” 

“What happens if they do notice?” Jaebum asks. Jackson leans into the fingers that tucks his hair more securely under the cap, the touches sending warmth shooting through his nerves. Jaebum doesn't stop tossing suspicious glances at Yugyeom as he works, and Jackson grins. 

Mark sighs. “Many things, none of them good, for either of you.” 

“Which is why Mark will keep covering for me, won’t you, Mark?” Jackson says sweetly, holding up a hand just in time to block the answering spray of water from Mark’s tail. He gets wet anyway. 

“Yeah,” Mark says. “But just so you know, I’m doing it entirely against my will.” 

“Of course, Markiepooh,” Jackson says, grinning at Jaebum, who just shakes his head and smiles fondly back. “And since he’s a good friend and cousin, Mark will lead you to where there’s fish for your nets.” 

“Can’t you do that yourself? You can sense them.” Yugyeom says.

“Not as well without my tail.” Jackson shrugs. While he’d known that losing his connection to the sea would happen, it’s unsettling all the same. “Come on, Mark, lead the way!” 

“Once you get that thing off your head. What _is_ it anyway?” 

“Glad you asked.” Throwing him a smirk, Jackson twists the cap so the brim is backwards, the way he’s seen the students at Jaebum’s university do. “This, my friend, is what they call swag.” 

Jaebum doesn’t stop snickering for hours. 


	7. Rake me 'cross the coals

When the pain finally comes on the fifth day, Jackson is wholly unprepared for it, even though Bambam had warned him that it would happen. 

“How bad will it be?” he’d asked apprehensively. 

“Very, very bad. You know that feeling when your tail scrapes over a jagged rock? Take that, and multiply it by like, a thousand.” 

Jackson winces. It almost makes him want to say forget it to all of this, go back to the palace and his life as prince. After all, it’s not like he won’t see Jaebum again. So long as Jaebum continues to come out to sea, so long as he doesn’t move away. 

“So? Changed your mind? It’s your last chance.” Giving his shoes one last polish, the selkie leans back with a satisfied hum. The shine on the tips of the black leather is arresting as usual. Jackson has always wanted to know what it felt like to put them on. 

With a firm head shake, he says, “Nope. Get on with it, Bam.” 

Bambam peers at him, assessing, and Jackson steels himself, fighting the urge to avoid the coal black eyes. It takes long moments before Bambam sighs, nodding. 

“You got it, your highness.” 

But for all his determination then, Jackson never imagined that it would be this bad. They’re standing in the middle of a busy crosswalk when he stumbles to his knees, instinctively reaching out with a hand to break his fall. All around him, people walk on briskly, barely a handful sparing him a glance. 

“You okay?” Jaebum leans down, eyes dark with worry.

“Yeah, I tripped.” 

He tries his best to hide the grimace that twists his features when he gets back on his feet, using Jaebum’s arm as a crutch. The man still looks worried, so Jackson latches onto his sleeve and shoots him a tight smile. 

“I’m fine. Really.” 

They hobble off the street amidst the sound of horns blaring, Jaebum’s grip tightening whenever a sliver of pain makes Jackson hiss. Sweat beads on his forehead underneath his cap; his feet feel like someone is slowly ripping them to shreds with a blunt knife. Damn it all, Jackson was really looking forward to exploring the land city. 

“You’re not fine,” Jaebum declares when Jackson all but collapses onto the bench to take the weight off his throbbing feet. “Jackson, you need to tell me what’s wrong.” 

“My feet,” he grits. “It’s better now that we’re not walking, but they hurt.” 

Instantly concerned, Jaebum crouches by Jackson’s feet. “Did you twist your ankle? Sprain it somehow?” Cool fingers press lightly against protruding bone and heated skin, feeling carefully around it. 

“It’s not—” 

“Did you step on something? Glass, maybe? How could that have happened, you’re wearing shoes. Or was it—”

“Jaebum.” 

Grabbing the hand that’s moving to undo his laces and tug off his shoe, Jackson shakes it a little. “It’s okay, Bambam told me this would happen, but I forgot about it. My legs are borrowed, remember? They’re reminding me that it’s nearly time to give them back.” 

“But it’s... it’s still early, right? You still have two days?” 

“Slightly less than two, to be exact, but yeah.” Wistfulness washes over him as he says it. He didn’t think a week could pass by so quickly. 

The answering exhale, when it comes, is heavy. “What do you want to do?” 

Jaebum’s hand is warm on his ankle, the other still in Jackson’s, thumb making slow strokes across his palm. The knees of his jeans are beginning to stain from the damp dirt they’re resting on, wet patches uneven and growing. He gazes at the crown of Jaebum’s lowered head, takes in the way dark hair glints in the sunlight. 

There’s only one thing Jackson wants right now. 

“Let’s go home.” 

 

Jaebum ends up half-dragging, half-carrying Jackson from the car back to the beach house, the pain having increased so much Jackson can barely walk. It’s a long trek even though Jaebum parked as close to the driveway as he can, and every step Jackson takes feels like he’s walking on coral shards. Gravel crunches under the soles of their feet as though groaning in sympathy. 

He heaves a silent sigh of relief when they finally enter the house, Jaebum shutting the back door behind them. Jackson is hobbling over to the couch when he’s waylaid by Nora. She mewls at him to be picked up. 

“Hey girl,” he coos and bends, ignoring the burn that shoots up his feet and calves. He giggles when Nora licks at his fingers and turns to Jaebum. He’s watching them with a soft smile, even though the corners of his eyes remain tight with worry. “She missed me.” 

“Yeah, I can see that.” 

Gathering the cat in his arms, he lets Jaebum lead him the rest of the way to the couch, where he urges him to sit, arranging and rearranging the blanket around Jackson until Nora begins fussing at the disturbance. 

“Jaebum, hey. Hey.” Jackson tugs him down by the arm to sit next to him. “Stop.” 

The hand Jaebum shoves through his hair is almost violent. Frustrated, he says, “I don’t know what to do. What can I do, Jackson?” 

“Just.” _Stay with me_ , Jackson doesn’t say. “Distract me?” 

“Okay. Okay, I can do that. I’ll put on a movie.” 

Jackson pets Nora as Jaebum putters around the box he calls a TV. It’s not long before the room is filled with the muted sounds of music and conversation. He can’t really make heads or tails of the movie Jaebum chose; all he knows is that it’s about two lovers who forget each other deliberately, but then wants to find each other again. Jackson privately thinks it’s a stupid thing to do, but Jaebum says it’s his favorite, so he refrains from saying it aloud. 

Unsurprisingly, he quickly loses interest in the movie. Instead, he spends the rest of the time surreptitiously watching Jaebum, cataloging his reactions and committing them to memory. He likes the way his lips quirk unevenly when he’s amused, the way his jaw goes tight when he’s tense. There’s even a tell-tale glassiness in his eyes at one point during a suitably emotional scene. It makes Jackson smile secretly. Such a romantic, his Jaebum. 

It’s that thought that makes his stomach flutter, makes him feel simultaneously excited and nervous, turns his discovery into realization and he moves to lean his head on Jaebum’s shoulder, press closer. It makes the body beneath him go rigid for several heartbeats—space enough for Jackson to feel the panic rising—before Jaebum relaxes. Lifting an arm, he winds it around Jackson and wraps the blanket more securely around them. 

And only then does Jackson let out the breath he’d been holding. 

Pressed together from shoulder to thigh, with Nora a solid, purring weight on his lap, the knives in his feet are reduced to a dull throb that Jackson can almost ignore, if he puts his mind to it. He feels warm and comfortable. Safe. Much like the way it felt when he and Mark were children and would fall asleep with their tails wound tightly together so they didn't drift away. Not once has he thought that he’d feel this secure with a human, so much so that his very nerves tingle, almost like they're responding to his nearness. He wants to bury himself in Jaebum and never let go. 

“Thank you,” he whispers, nuzzling closer, wanting more skin, more warmth, more. 

Jaebum’s hold on him tightens. If he says anything in return, Jackson doesn’t hear it. Instead, he slips off into sleep and dreams of endless searching. 

 

“What’s it like, living in the ocean?” Jaebum asks later that night. 

He’s cooking while Jackson watches from the kitchen table, sitting in a chair to stay off his feet. Jaebum’s back is very broad. 

“Well, it’s really dark, for starters. And cold, I guess, by human standards, although the temperature doesn’t really bother us. It’s beautiful too, and sometimes dangerous. There are many predators in the deep sea.” 

Jaebum hums. “It doesn’t sound very welcoming.” 

“Probably not to humans. You’re very partial to sunlight and warmth.” 

Chuckling, Jaebum says, “I suppose we are.” 

The pan sizzles, and the sound and distracting smell that emanates from it almost causes Jackson to miss Jaebum’s next question. 

“Do you miss it?” 

“What?” 

“Do you miss the ocean. And your tail.” 

Jackson turns the question over in his mind. He does, all the time, especially whenever he’s anywhere near water. He misses the freedom the ocean gives, misses the way everything is familiar and easy. Being on land is new and amazing, for sure, but it’s also an exhausting ordeal—there’s so much to learn and experience, good and bad. Add that to knowing that he doesn’t belong here, and that feeling of sheer wrongness in his skin, he sometimes gets the urge to run down the beach and throw himself into the waves for a do-over. 

Then he remembers Jaebum’s quiet strength and his careful hands, sees in his mind’s eye the way his dark eyes crinkle into crescents when he laughs, and he’s so very glad he went to Bambam when he did. 

“Yeah, I do.” 

“Of course.” Plating the food, Jaebum brings it to the table. “Guess you’re really not Ariel, huh.” There's a wistfulness in his voice Jackson tries not to read too much into.

“Told you.” 

They dig into dinner, ravenous. It’s pasta, something Jackson had picked out of a book earlier when Jaebum showed it to him and asked him to choose. He’d grumbled upon seeing Jackson’s choice, something about how a proper dinner table needs proper rice, but had made it anyway. It turned out delicious, as always. Jackson had taken great delight in the way Jaebum nearly strained something trying not to look too pleased at the praise. 

“Well, you’ll be home soon,” Jaebum says after a while. 

Home. The nerves in his feet twitch in response. The clinking of cutlery sounds unnaturally loud. 

Jackson nods, pasting on a broad smile when Jaebum finally looks up and meets his eyes. 

“Yeah, can’t wait.” 

What wouldn't he give for that day to never come. 


	8. What I would give if only you could know

Jaebum invites Youngjae and Jinyoung over on Jackson’s last day on land, since he has been in so much pain he can’t do much more than move from the bed to the bathroom, if even that. When the expected knock comes, he hasn’t so much as shifted from his position on the couch the entire day. The pain has traveled from his feet and calves up to his thighs, and if it felt like they were on fire the day before, today it’s like they’re submerged in ice. It feels like they would fall off anytime if he’s not careful. 

He sits up when they step in, careful not to slosh the basin of warm water his feet have been soaking in. Jackson had been skeptical when Jaebum suggested it in the morning, but it works like a charm to make the pain at least tolerable. Jaebum has been switching it out every half hour or so, making sure the water never turns cold. 

Arms full with a snoozing Nora, he beams in greeting. “Hey guys.” 

“Hi Jackson.” Youngjae’s face droops in sympathy. “I heard from Jaebum hyung, about your feet. I’m not sure if they’d work, but I brought painkillers.” 

The bottle rattles in Jackson’s grip. “Thanks, Youngjae.” 

Jinyoung and Jaebum are still by the door, talking in hushed whispers. He watches as Jinyoung reaches out to pull Jaebum in for a hug and turns away when Jaebum rests his forehead on the younger man’s shoulder. The intimacy of the scene rankles him. 

“So Youngjae, how goes school?” 

“The usual. One of the tests we were working on turned out to be contaminated, so we’ll have to run it again. That's half a month of work wasted.” 

Jackson half-listens to Youngjae’s chatter, understanding not much of what he’s saying, but finds himself entertained by his animated expressions and gestures anyway. Jaebum and Jinyoung joins them after a while, Jaebum sliding in next to Jackson and wrapping a steadying arm around him. It makes Jinyoung’s eyebrows fly up to meet his hairline, although Youngjae only shoots them a knowing smile. 

“So that’s how it is,” he says cheerfully. “I’m happy for you both.” 

Jackson frowns, confused, and Jaebum awkwardly clears his throat, but Youngjae is already going back to the story he was telling about a class he had the day before, picking it up like he was never interrupted in the first place. Sitting back, Jackson lets their voices wash over him. He’ll miss this, he thinks. Talking is a lot less loud deep underwater. 

Not that he thinks there’s anyone, human or mer, who can dial the volume up as high as Youngjae does. 

 

It’s close to dinnertime when Jaebum ropes Youngjae into helping him set up the grill outside, leaving Jackson with Jinyoung. 

“He still doesn’t know, does he.” 

Jinyoung glances up at him as he switches out the tepid water for a fresh, hot basin. It calms the ravaged nerves in Jackson’s feet, but does nothing for his suddenly spiked heartbeat. He shrugs, wincing as he stretches out his toes, careful not to meet Jinyoung’s eyes. 

“I’m not sure what you mean.” 

“Your pearl. Your lure.” 

Jackson shakes his head. “It’s not a lure.” 

“You can’t lie to me, Jackson. I know the lore. I studied it. A mer’s pearl is a lure they give to sailors stranded at sea. Once accepted, the sailor belongs to the ocean. And you gave yours to Jaebum hyung.” Jinyoung’s voice is tight. 

Sighing, Jackson rubs a hand over his face. “It’s not a lure, Jinyoung.” He pulls at the chain around his neck, making the ring attached to it fall out. He rubs a thumb over it, a familiar gesture by now. “He gave this to me when I still had my tail.” 

It takes a moment, but then understanding dawns on Jinyoung’s face. “Then that means… an exchange? Does that even work when he’s not mer?” 

Jackson shakes his head. Beats him. 

“Okay, but that’s just one step, right? There are four requirements for a mer’s courting, if I remember my folklore classes correctly. If they’re even accurate in the first place.” Jinyoung begins to pace. “Food, security, a prized possession, and sacrifice.” Jackson nods when Jinyoung looks to him for confirmation.“So that’s three more steps.” 

“Technically,” he says, “Just one more.” 

Jinyoung freezes mid-step. “What?” 

“Jaebum’s boat was about to capsize when we met. And then he fired up a barbecue right after I made a school of tuna swim directly into his nets.”

“And you’ve been staying with him all this time, _shit_.” 

Helpless, Jackson shrugs. The courting ritual is an archaic practice, something that’s only passed down in stories and songs. Most mer don’t even court their partners these days, hell, Jaebum is _human_ , but apparently the ritual doesn’t care since Jackson was the one to initiate it. He hadn’t realized what was happening until that day he’d fallen asleep in Jaebum’s arms, and by then, it had been too late. If he squints, he could almost see the tendrils of magic connecting them. 

“You have to tell him, Jackson, you have to.” 

“It’s not fair to him.” 

“And it is to you? Besides, the way you and hyung were acting around each other today, it’s not like he’d be unwilling.” 

Jackson’s chuckle sounds hollow even to his own ears. “I can’t ask him to sacrifice anything for me, Jinyoung, I just can’t.” 

“Jackson, we’re talking ancient magic here. You could die.” 

Jinyoung’s grip on his wrist hurts. Despite his slender build, the man is deceptively strong. It relaxes though, when Jackson places his other hand on top of Jinyoung’s and squeezes. 

“Don’t be all melodramatic, I’ll be fine. It’ll just be an incomplete ritual, that’s all.” 

Except Jackson has never once read or heard of courting rituals that are left unfinished, so far into it. And while he does know what the end result is though, what Jinyoung doesn’t won’t hurt him. 

There’s a noise at the door and Jackson looks up to see Jaebum stepping in with loaded plates. 

“What are you two looking so serious for? Come on, it’s time to eat.” 

Pulling his hands out of Jinyoung’s, Jackson happily accepts the food and tucks in. He doesn’t see Jaebum’s contemplative frown. 

 

The moon is hanging high when Youngjae and Jinyoung finally leave, the latter with a heavy look in his eyes. He nearly crushes Jackson with his hug. 

“Take care,” he whispers. Jackson tries to look as confident as he can when he promises him that he will. 

He waits until Jaebum has shut the door behind his friends, then holds out his arms. Same as the way he has for the past two nights, Jaebum lifts him easily, carefully picking his way to the bedroom. Jackson lets him tuck the covers in around him, but as he turns to leave, he reaches out and snags his wrist. 

“Stay?” 

When Jaebum doesn’t answer, Jackson releases his grip and twists so he’s facing the window. He can see the stars from here. They’re bright with laughter tonight. 

“Right. Well, good n—” 

The bed dips in the middle of his sentence and he turns, surprised. Jaebum is sliding under the covers, scooting in until he is a line of heat pressed up against Jackson’s back, a strong arm coming to wrap firmly around his waist. Nora purrs from where she’s curled up over his throbbing feet when Jaebum’s tangle with his. 

Taking a deep breath, Jackson leans back cautiously. Jaebum’s arm tightens. 

His voice is pitched low when he speaks, like he's confessing a secret. “I know I’ll probably see you again, but… I’m gonna miss you all the same, Jackson.” 

Jackson smiles, sad. He's glad he has his back to Jaebum. “Me too.” Reaching back, he lightly nudges Jaebum in the ribs. “But hey, you can always call out for Aquaman whenever you need help, and I’ll come to your rescue.” 

“Will you turn up with seaweed and trident, though?” 

“You bet your ass I will,” he replies, and Jaebum’s chest rumbles with his laugh. 

He knows the exact moment Jaebum falls asleep, body going slack and damp breath rhythmically ruffling the hair at the base of Jackson’s neck. Moving slowly so he doesn’t jostle and wake him, Jackson turns so he’s facing him. 

He lets his eyes sweep from hairline to chin, taking in the sharp nose and angled cheekbones. Jaebum’s face is tight and lined with worry, uneasy even in sleep, and Jackson hates that he’s the one to have put the expression there. Lifting gentle fingers, Jackson traces it over his brow, willing it to smoothen. When it does, he brings his fingers down, letting them linger over the twin dots on his eyelid, the hollow of his cheek, and slightly parted lips until Jaebum shifts and sighs, making him snatch his hand back hurriedly. 

For the rest of the night, he watches Jaebum as he sleeps, carefully not letting himself think about how much he wants to kiss him. 


	9. Hold on, good luck, and down you go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for (mentions of) drowning.

Mark is waiting just shy of the shoreline when Jackson pushes the door of Jaebum’s beach house open. With Jaebum’s help, he shuffles down the soft sand. Every slow, agonizing step sends his nerves screaming.

He hears the flapping of wings before he sees Yugyeom, who lands next to the waiting boat. Together, he and Jaebum hoist Jackson into it and push it into the water. They chug steadily out into the open sea, the rumbling of the engine drowning out the call of seagulls. The birds are flying unusually low today in an attempt to avoid the swirling mass of grey in the skies.

Jaebum kills the engine once they’re far enough. Without the propellers holding the boat steady, it rocks violently in the choppy waters, making Jackson feel uncharacteristically green about the gills. Out in the distance, the waves swell enormously, as though the king himself were out churning the waters. It makes Jackson recall the first time he’d met Jaebum, and he knows Jaebum does too, because the latter nudges him with a tiny smirk.

“Good thing you’re getting your tail back soon; you may have to rescue me all over again.”

Grinning, Jackson says, “But only if you say the magic word.”

Jaebum's eyes disappear into crescents when he laughs, and it makes Jackson's heart grow two sizes in his chest. Clearly confused, Yugyeom is just about to say something when he’s interrupted by the arrival of Bambam, dark nose and whiskers breaking the water surface. Clambering onto the boat, he proceeds to peel his skin off, leaving a puddle of seawater on the deck. It makes Jaebum click his tongue in annoyance, although Jackson notes with pleasure and not a little bit of pride that he's noticeably unfazed by the appearance of yet another non-human on his boat.

“And you are?”

“The reason Jackson even has legs, so you owe me a thank you, human.” 

With a disdainful look at Jaebum, he shakes his head hard, spraying droplets everywhere before turning an expectant gaze on Jackson. 

“Well? What are you waiting for? Strip and get your ass in the water, Wang! Sunrise is in less than three minutes.”

Jackson’s not sure how he can tell with the sky as dark as it is, but at Yugyeom's confirming nod, he sighs. Reaching up, he tugs off his cap, handing it over to Jaebum after a moment's hesitation. 

“Here. Thanks for lending it to me. For a short while, I had swag,” he says mournfully.

This time, Jaebum’s smile barely reaches his eyes.

He shucks off the rest of his clothing quickly, shivering in the icy wind. He rubs at the gooseflesh on his arms as he stands at the edge of the boat. Staring into the dark, swirling water, he’s struck by a sudden thought.

“Guys, I just realized, I have no idea how to swim with legs.”

“I won’t let you drown,” Mark promises. “Come on, Jackson.”

“Yeah, go on, you don’t have much time left.”

Jackson looks back at Jaebum, who shoots him an encouraging grin. His skin is pale in the low light of dawn, dark hair tousled by the wind. Jackson just stares, wanting to carve the sight into his head, his heart. He hopes he gets to carry it with him even when he’s sea foam.

“See you in a bit, Aquaman.”

Nodding, Jackson sucks in a quick breath and braces himself.

Then he jumps.

 

The ocean is really, really cold. 

It’s also very dark, and Jackson has to take a few moments to reorient himself once in the water. Cautiously, he moves his arms and legs in an attempt to propel himself to the surface. He can’t quite tell where the boat is with the sky so dark, but he figures he’ll see it as long as he keeps heading upward. 

He feels himself moving once his limbs have settled on a pattern that feels natural, but it’s slow-going until a pair of arms slip around his waist, and then he’s speeding through the water. Moments later, his head breaks the surface just shy of the boat. Exhaling the stale air in his lungs with a whoosh, he greedily gulps in the salty ocean breeze. 

“Thanks, Mark.” 

With Mark’s arms still holding him up,he paddles in place and turns toward his friends. They’re all staring at him with varying degrees of curiosity and anticipation, Bambam in particular looking like Jackson is the final piece of a puzzle he’s trying to solve but not getting anywhere with. Even with the feet of water between them, Jackson sees his dark eyes glint in the weak sun as the cogs turn in his head. 

“So… I’m pretty sure you guys are seeing this, but Jackson still doesn’t have his tail and it’s past sunrise,” Yugyeom offers. The golden sheen around him glows brighter the higher the sun climbs, even though it's still hidden behind heavy clouds. 

“Bambam?” Mark questions. 

“I don’t—I’m not sure why you’re not changing back. You should have.” 

“No shit,” Jackson says. 

“Maybe you messed up the magic somewhere?” 

“I never mess up, Mark.” 

“Then why—”

A swell of water lifts the tiny boat dangerously high, cutting Jaebum off mid-sentence. It threatens to tip over, making Jaebum and Bambam dive for the edge, hanging on for dear life. Yugyeom is already back in his true form, wingspan extended to the fullest as he hovers above them, feathers glistening with the salty spray. He lets out an ear-piercing screech and Jackson looks up just in time to see Bambam’s pelt slipping off the boat and into the ocean, the selkie’s hand stretched after it uselessly, eyes distressingly wide. 

“Shit, Mark!” Jackson warns, but he didn’t need to because his cousin is already letting go, diving into the ocean after the pelt. Kicking his feet behind him, Jackson heads for the boat. “Hang on, guys, I’m coming!”

But before either of them can answer, the boat crashes onto the water surface. Jackson hears the deafening smack, the impact jarring even from a distance. “Shit shit _shit_ ,” he mutters, trying to swim faster. There’s no reprieve though; another wave is already swelling, lifting it up again. 

“No, Jaebum!” 

For the first time since he’s changed, Jackson hates his feeble legs and how they do little to move him forward in the turbulence, something his tail would have done with ease. Still, he doesn’t stop, pushing against the liquid wall as best as he can. He doesn’t know what he’ll do once he gets to the boat, all he knows is he need to be there, he needs to be with Jaebum. Humans don’t stand a chance against the raging seas. 

He’s nearly there when the boat is brought crashing down again, this time directly above him, the wooden bottom smashing him in the head. Pain explodes through his skull, making him cry out. The sound gets lost in the cacophony of crashing waves, although he thinks he hears Jaebum shouting his name as he slips under the water. 

Dizzy with pain, he doesn’t register much in the cold abyss of the ocean until his mother swims up right in front of him, eyes ablaze with anger. He’s pretty sure his own are wide with fear. 

“Mom,” he tries to say, forgetting for an instant that his lungs, just like his borrowed legs, are still regrettably human. Bubbles spill in a furious torrent from his lips as the sea rushes in, trying to reclaim one of her own. 

He chokes, lungs burning with the dire need for air. He tries to move, tries to push himself upward but his limbs refuse to cooperate, instead engaging themselves in an uncoordinated dance that traps him the harder he thrashes. The sea is in his mouth, his throat, his lungs, painting his insides with fire, threatening to swallow him whole. 

Still, he refuses to give up, continuing to struggle against the water, against his mother’s will, until he spies in the corner of his eye a dark shape that’s coming ever closer. It’s not long before he realizes it’s Jaebum—Jaebum who’s stroking powerfully through the water with intent so single-minded, Jackson feels it like it’s his own. 

In the split second just before his mother turns, Jackson thinks she’s felt it too, and then her tail is stretching out behind her. It snaps through the water, striking Jaebum in the side of the head before Jackson could even summon the presence of mind to scream a warning, move, anything.

“Jaebum!” 

Jackson could only watch as the human goes limp and starts sinking like a stone, weighed down by his heavy, soaked clothing. Jaebum's eyes, warm with laughter the last Jackson remembers, are shut tight, lashes dark parentheses against pale skin. Tiny bubbles slip from his parted lips, making for the surface above.

All around them the sea rages and Jaebum continues to fall.

“Jaebum, no,” Jackson says, except it comes out as a choked gurgle. Cold fear seizes his heart. He can only imagine what the saltwater is doing to Jaebum's all-too human body. 

He turns panicked eyes on the queen who’s watching him, white hot fury leeching from every pore. She's terrifying like this but she's still his mother, and desperate as he is, he has to at least try. 

_Please, mom,_ he mouths soundlessly, shaping each syllable with care. Black spots dance before his eyes, the sea churns in his guts. 

_Save Jaebum. Please._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dunnnnn such drama. =.=
> 
> finish this by jackson's birthday? hah. i'm still trying to figure out if i should let them live HEA or turn jackson into foam since, you know, canon. oh well. thanks for reading guys <3


	10. Every single step is one step closer

Jackson regains consciousness with a huge gasp, except it’s air and not water that rushes into his lungs, so he sucks it in liberally. The dark shape in his field of vision turns out to be Bambam once he’s moved back to sit on his haunches, the morning light unerringly picking out the worry lines etched into his face. His eyes, still scrunched just moments before, relaxes into relief. 

“Jackson, thank god.” 

Coughing wetly, Jackson pushes himself up and notices that they’re on Jaebum’s boat. It’s rocking gently in the middle of the ocean, the moments somewhat soothing, lulling them into a false sense of peace. It helps that the waters are calmer now, still choppy with residual rage but no longer on a murderous rampage. 

“Bambam?” 

His voice comes out gravelly. His throat feels parched, which is odd after all the water he remembers sucking in while under. Come to think of it, just the thought of him floundering in water is surreal, to say the least. As it is, he’s pretty sure he’s already going down in the annals of mer history as the worst example of his kind. 

A blunt stab of pain shakes him back to reality and he looks around, raising a hand to rub absently at his chest. Yugyeom is at the stern, human again, neck stretched long as he peers out into the horizon. He seems to be waiting for something, or some _one_ , and all of a sudden, his throat tightens. The memory of choking, of _drowning_ , sweeps over him like a tidal wave. 

Really, the most ridiculous mer to ever exist. 

“Jaebum.” He clutches at Bambam, trying to tamp down the flare of panic, the bile that rises from his gut. “Bam, Jaebum’s still down there. Mom, she…”

“I know, I know,” Bambam says, voice pitched low in a bid to soothe. The hand on his chest keeping him down doesn’t budge even though Jackson is pushing against it insistently. “Mark went back in once he brought you up. He’ll find Jaebum, don’t worry.” 

Jackson shakes his head, frantic. “He should have saved Jaebum, not me. I need to go back in. He’s human, Bam, he’s helpless down there.” 

“So are you,” Yugyeom cuts in. “You were drowning earlier, Jackson. If Mark had been any later…” The sunbird shudders, dropping into a crouch next to him. “Why is he not changing back?” 

Bambam shrugs powerlessly. “I don’t know! He’s supposed to, the spell was specific. And before you ask, for the last time, I didn't make a mistake. It’s not like this is my first rodeo,” he says with just a tinge of resentment. 

Yugyeom raises an eyebrow, as if to say _what_?, then goes, “Fine. What is it then? Could it have been canceled out somehow? Tampered with? Changed?” 

“Magic doesn’t just change, Yugyeom, there are rules. The outcome cannot be tampered with unless something stronger comes into play, something like—” He blinks at Jackson, eyes growing round. “Oh. _Oh_. Jackson, you—”

What he intended to say gets lost in the wave that crests over the boat, drenching them completely. Tuning out Yugyeom’s squawk of distress, Jackson clambers to his feet and lurches forward to grasp at the railings, watching in trepidation as his parents rise out of the water. 

“Where is he?” he grits, glaring when his mom says his name warningly. “ _Where is he_?” 

His heart skips a beat when Mark appears shortly, wet red strands catching the sunlight. The limp form in his arms is all Jackson can see. 

“Jaebum,” he breathes. “Mark, Jaebum, he—” 

“He’s fine, he’s just unconscious.” 

With Bambam and Yugyeom’s help, Jackson heaves Jaebum onto the deck and kneels down next to him. His skin is grey and lax, lips a stark white line. With trembling hands, Jackson reaches out to cradle his face. 

“Jaebum?” 

He can’t hide the tremor in his voice, nor stop the fear or the tears from welling up when Jaebum doesn’t respond. “Wake up, Jaebum, come on.” 

Squatting next to him, Bambam lays his ear on Jaebum’s chest and frowns. Then he sits back up again and grabs his pelt, laying it over the still body to fight off the chill of the sea breeze. 

“He’s still breathing, but his pulse is weak and his temperature is dropping. We’ll have to bring him to the hospital quickly, or he won’t make it.” Seeing their confusion, he continues, “A place where they make sick people get better. We gotta hurry though, the nearest one is in the city and that’s at least an hour and a half away.” 

Jackson bends over to lean his forehead against Jaebum’s. This way, he can feel the tiny puffs from his exhales. 

“I… I could fly him,” Yugyeom offers after a moment. 

“No,” Mark replies immediately. “You can’t risk anyone seeing you.” 

“But Jaebum…” 

“No, Mark’s right.” The king, having been silent throughout their exchange, speaks up. “The hospital won't be able to do anything for him, but he'll be all right.” 

Jackson looks up as his father glides through the few feet of water separating him and the boat. “Dad, you’ll save him?” 

“No, you will. All you have to do is come home.” 

“What? No! You almost died the last time you did!” 

Yugyeom goes quiet with a sharp shake of the head from Jackson, but frowns nevertheless. From the corner of his eye, Jackson sees Bambam sidling up next to him, raising a hand to stroke soothingly through the ruffled strands that had puffed up with his outburst. 

“If I come home, Jaebum will be fine? Promise me.” 

“I promise. But…” 

“But what?” Mark asks quietly.

“Return to where you belong and what’s yours will be returned to you,” Bambam replies. “Jackson needs to go back so he can get back what’s his. His Bonded.” 

“Bonded?” 

“He entered a courtship with Jaebum.” 

“A _what_?” 

“And if it’s not completed, if his chosen doesn't return his devotion, Jackson will turn to foam,” the queen says. Swimming up to Jackson, his mom reaches out a hand, and Jackson takes it. “My son, you don’t have to do this. It's not too late to sever the bond.” 

Jackson chuckles bitterly. “You know I can’t. Jaebum will die if I do that. I’d rather rip off my tail than kill him.” 

“What if he doesn’t want you, Jackson? He’s _human_.”

“It doesn't matter. I love him, mom,” Jackson replies plainly. The shock and disappointment in her eyes make him flinch, but he soldiers on. 

“He’s amazing, you know? He’s never once treated me differently just because I’m not human. He showed me his world, and it’s so bright and loud up here it hurts sometimes, but still I want to wake up to the sun on my face every morning.” He smiles fondly, remembering Jinyoung and Youngjae. “I met his friends, who treated me like one of their own, accepted me just because Jaebum did and they loved him.” 

“So you see, I have to do this. I can't let him die.” 

The queen shakes her head, but squeezes his hand and leans in to wrap her arms around his neck. 

“You are so lovely, my child, the sun itself. I can’t imagine anyone not wanting you back, let alone a human,” she whispers fiercely, voice thick, before gliding back to where the king waited. He slides an arm around her and she buries her face in his shoulder. 

Jackson turns to look at his friends. Mark and Yugyeom still looked disbelieving, although he thinks there’s a sheen of tears in the latter’s eyes. All these years, and the garuda is still a crybaby. To think he’s descended from a god, too. He raises a shoulder in something close to an apologetic half shrug, to which Mark placidly rolls his eyes and says,

“Just… get on with it.”

“Yeah, Jackson,” Bambam echoes, although it’s with reluctance. “Jaebum can’t hold out much longer.” 

“Wow, you guys really can’t wait for me to die, can you?” Jackson jokes. 

It falls flat. Exhaling shakily, Jackson nods. “Okay. Okay, I’m going.” It’s just the ocean, right? He grew up in it, he can do this. It’s just like going home. 

He stares down at Jaebum, still unconscious, face devoid of expression. He doesn’t like this Jaebum. He wants the Jaebum who likes to tease him back, wants his gentle touches and secret smiles, wants the way his eyes soften in delight whenever Jackson learns something new about his world. He can only pray Jaebum wants him back.

But if he doesn't... even if he doesn't...

Lifting careful fingers to the beloved face, Jackson leans down and kisses him. Despite everything, Jaebum’s lips are warm. 

“Goodbye, Jaebum. I love you.”


	11. Forever and on

It’s like deja vu, his return to the ocean. It’s still pitch black and freezing cold, but Jackson doesn’t panic this time, doesn’t even attempt to move, just holds his breath as he waits for the magic to take him where he’s supposed to go. He feels lighter already—a side effect from the transformation, he supposes. At least it doesn't hurt as much as trading his tail for legs did. 

It’s not long before he feels himself floating upward, his body succeeding where it failed to before, between the rampaging waters and his chaotic mind. As mer, they never had to be taught to swim, but were instead taught from a young age to fight the natural instinct to float. Just like human divers, Bambam had said, mer had to learn how to sink. They’re helped, of course, by their ability to breathe in the water, and by the power in their tails. 

So Jackson is used to feeling weightless, which is why he doesn’t give much thought to where he’s going but lets himself drift. The oxygen in his lungs is burning out in tiny increments, making his chest tighten almost painfully. He welcomes it though, revels in it. Pain is good; pain means Jaebum will be okay. 

Slowly, he lets his eyes drift shut. 

They’re startled open when a pair of arms slip themselves around his waist, again, and propels him towards the surface, again. Damn Mark and his meddling ways. 

The instant he’s out of the water, he spins around with a choice curse on his tongue, only to see a mop of dark hair instead of the red he expected, and familiar piercing eyes staring back at him.

“Jae—Jaebum? You’re okay,” he says in wonder.

Then he wheezes, because apparently nearly drowning twice in a day is hell on his respiratory system. He clings to Jaebum’s shoulders as he hacks up what feels like a lung and a half. They’re reassuringly solid under his hands and he grips them tighter, brings his knees up to wrap around his waist. He figures he’s entitled anyway, they’re Bonded now. 

He still can’t quite wrap his mind around it. 

“You okay?” Jaebum asks, slightly out of breath from exertion. “You’re supposed to be Aquaman. How can you save me if you can’t even save yourself?” 

“I thought—”

“Besides, you can’t just say you love me and then turn around and try to drown yourself. Not cool.” 

“I—”

“Also you owe me a proper kiss. Since we’re mermaid married and all. The one you stole earlier doesn't count.” He ignores Jackson's sputtering. “Thanks for not telling me about us, by the way. I had to find out from your parents.” 

He makes a face, and Jackson thinks the oxygen deprivation must have messed with his mind somehow, because even with his face all scrunched up like that, Jackson still thinks he’s the most beautiful sight he’s ever seen.

“You don’t… you don’t mind? You'll choose me back?” he asks, cautious. 

Brows raised, Jaebum flings his hands out in an _isn't it obvious_ gesture. “Look, I wish I could say I fell in love with you at first sight, or something romantic like that, but the truth is I didn’t.” 

“Oh,” Jackson says in a small voice. 

“But with every new thing I learned about you, every new experience I shared with you, I started to like you more. And when you started hurting, well.” His mouth twists in a grimace. “I wanted to make it stop, I wanted to hurt for you. I wished you were Ariel so I could kiss you and take away your pain. And that's when I knew.” 

Breath hitching, his eyes fly up to meet Jaebum’s. 

“I heard you and Jinyoung, by the way. Even if I didn’t already love you, how could you think that I wouldn’t sacrifice anything for you? I'm your friend, Jackson.” 

“I… I didn’t know how to tell you. I couldn't.” 

"You can tell me anything, Jackson. I promise you, I will always listen." Jaebum’s smile is soft, and his voice is achingly tender when he continues, “You’re not a fairytale princess and I’m not a prince. But that doesn't mean we can't share a true love’s kiss.” 

He ducks his head but he doesn’t need to go far, because Jackson leans in to meet him halfway. Jaebum’s lips are soft and just as warm as he remembers, the inside of his mouth sweet when they part with a low sound. Jackson surges forward with little effort; the water laps at them, pushing them ever closer until they’re pressed together from chest to hip. Jackson feels Jaebum’s legs moving as they tread water, keeping them afloat, and he wraps his arms tighter around Jaebum. 

When they finally part, it’s not of their own volition, but because the disgusted exclamations and sarcastic catcalling get too close for comfort. 

“Mark, do you mind?” Jackson says archly, turning around to glare at his cousin, who has two fingers in his mouth mid-whistle. The half-siren stares back, unimpressed. 

“Get back into the boat before you both drown again, geez,” Bambam calls out grumpily from the wheel, clearly put out by the display. Yugyeom's right next to him, lips pursed into a moue of distaste as he peers at them through his fingers. They stop the boat just shy of where they are and Jaebum climbs on, turning to give Jackson a hand. 

Jackson waves him away though, because his parents are swimming up to him. His smile turns wobbly when he sees the glaze of tears in his mother’s eyes and the heaviness in his father’s. 

“I’ve been a horrible son, haven’t I?” he says somberly. 

“Yes, and a terrible prince,” his mom replies. “But we love you anyway, and we’re glad you’ve found your happiness.” She twists her tail around his legs the way she used to do with his tail when he was a child as she leans in to hug him, and Jackson feels tears spring into his eyes. 

“Just come out here and visit us some time, you hear?” 

“Of course, dad.”

"And you," she says imperiously, addressing Jaebum, who answers with an immediate  _yes ma'am_. "If you hurt him, we'll send a tsunami to your beach." 

Jackson's hissed  _mom_ doesn't make her back down any, and he turns to his dad imploringly, only to have the king shrug in deference to his queen. Jaebum, to his credit, just nods solemnly. 

"I'll take good care of him. Mom," he adds, just a little bit uncertainly, and Jackson heaves a sigh of relief at his mom's pleased expression. He sends a thumbs up to Jaebum from behind her. 

Kissing him one last time on the cheek, his mom finally lets go. “You belong to his world now, Jackson. But remember, no matter what happens, you can always come home.”

Throat tight, Jackson nods. “I’ll miss you,” he calls out, waving until they sink under the water, out of sight. 

He stares at the spot where they vanished for long moments, fighting the swell of sadness. The ocean mourns for their lost prince. 

“Jackson?” 

He turns to heave himself onto the boat, slipping a little on a puddle. The hand that grips his arm is steady, and he smiles up at Jaebum before his gaze slides over to his friends. 

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” 

Bambam is already putting on his pelt, and once he’s sealed it up, slides into the water with a soft splash. He waves at Jackson with a flipper, bobs his nose once, then disappears. 

How undramatic. One would think Bambam didn't care that Jackson would no longer be around to bother him at his cave at the oddest hours. Clicking his tongue, Jackson tilts his head to beam at Mark. “Mark, my man, you’ll come visit me, right?” 

“Maybe.” 

The sullenness of his tone makes Jackson pout. “Aw come on, I’ve got all sorts of things to show you! And Jaebum has a friend who’s very interested in meeting you,” he says. He can tell that Mark is softening, curiosity winning over. Winking, he continues liltingly, “He’s very handsome.” 

“Hey,” Jaebum objects. 

“What? It’s the truth. Say you’ll come, Mark. And you, Yugyeom. Bring Bambam.” He doesn’t beg, but it’s a close thing. He doesn’t want to gain Jaebum, just to lose his cousin and his friends. 

At least Yugyeom is the sweet, good kid he knows him to be, because he instantly promises, “I will, Jackson.” 

The siren swims out to the horizon while the garuda shifts, his take off rocking the boat. Jaebum waits until they’re both tiny specks in the distance, nearly invisible to the naked eye, before he turns to Jackson. 

He holds out his hand, and Jackson feels a tingle race up his arm when he grabs it, linking their fingers together. 

“Let’s go home?” 

“Yeah, let’s.” 

He doesn't ever want to let go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _and they lived happily ever after._
> 
> aaaaand it's done!! thanks to everyone who ever commented, kudo'd, subscribed, and bookmarked, you motivated me to no end and i cherished every single one. it's the first (and possibly only) time i've ever written anything >10k! doesn't seem like much but it's a big deal to me, okay. achievement unlocked!
> 
> thanks to eightninetwo, my beloved tony to my bruce, for listening to me whine about this since the very beginning. thanks to y and n, who let me talk their ears off about this even though they couldn't care less. thanks to n, too, for reverse psyching me to no end by insisting i turn jackson into foam and let jaebum spend his days in a coma... as if! 
> 
> i know some of you wanted markjin in this but... i never planned for it to happen (nor did i plan for yugbam either but they're sneaky lil shits) and it doesn't seem like a story i needed to tell. but take my word for it that jackson does introduce them to each other and they do hit it off! whether or not they ~~ride~~ swim out into the sunset together is up to your imaginations! go wild!
> 
> if you read up to here, thank you! as always, thank you thank you thank you for reading! <3*infinity.


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